Opus Echo of Starsong is an emotional journey. It doesn't have the best narrative by far, but it focuses the storytelling on each character's growth and relationship. The gameplay is nothing special, and the puzzles are something an eight year old could do, the hard part is just finding the object to interact with.
The game is short (7-10hrs) and the good thing out of this, is that things rarely slows down for a long time, it can go from 1 to 100 in the span of a chapter or even half of it. The bad thing out of it is that the game is very lore heavy. There are so much lore surrounding the whole place that you need to process in the short span of the game.
Character developments also plays a huge part in this game, however only Eda was somewhat "stated" to grow by the end of the story (despite her actions proving otherwise so...). Whereas Jun is still the same person throughout, obsessing over "honor" and his "clan" from the beginning to the end, the only development he got is being infatuated with Eda as the story continues. Remi, as well stays the same for most of the story, she did soften up to Jun near the end and even becomes his close friend after a certain part, however their reconciliation just happens. She suddenly feels guilty towards Jun. It feels too fast, and it's just resolved after. Though, unlike Jun, I do like Remi and find her character tragic. Unfortunately, the character developments are not handled well.
The length also affects other character's relationship, as at times, things are developing too quick. Bones and Jun for example, although he did save Bone's life, he was the one that placed his life in danger in the first place, and somehow after writing him letters, they became close buddies? This is one of those they tried to explained as one of the "things" that just happens during the time skip (which happens a few times), so it feels out of nowhere.
The biggest emphasis of the problem are also on Jun and Eda's relationship (The biggest driving point of the game) which feels underdeveloped. You will get one or two major scene/s between them every chapter and the rest of it is mostly implications of their relationship developing, and the funny part is, a lot of it are actually from other characters, while other times it's merely little things like worrying about each other. Jun's feelings toward Eda however does come from a place of love, although not said explicitly, but he stated that meeting her is one of the best things that happened in his life. Though Eda does feel the same way, it is only implied, it is also apparent that she cares for Jun's wellbeing a lot. She tends to have a "tsun" attitude toward Jun whenever he's doing or saying something with romantic connotation, sometimes showing discomfort and even keeps dismissing his sincerity as "jokes" or not acknowledging it much, this never really change till the end, especially her choice at the end. It feels like they are trying to write a blooming love story while at the same time, trying their best not to make it apparent, and so the clear imbalance of what is said and implied makes it so that, in the short span of the game, not enough development between them is seen to be built. It's a very big reason why I think the game should've been longer. The ending between them didn't hit me as much as I thought it would.
MAJOR SPOILER WARNING
A good storytelling method for me, would be one that stood somewhere between "exposition" and "implication". If a story loves doing expositions, then I might as well be watching Dora the Explorer. If a story goes full implication, then nothing might as well happened. A narrative that does more implications (foreshadowing/underlying meaning) can be executed well if the payoffs are expositions (big twist/reveal), this game however pays off implications with more implications, which some may like, but not me personally. This brings me to the ending scene in which Eda planted the flowers for Jun. In this scene, it's supposed to be the culmination of their relationship throughout the game, however their relationship is still underdeveloped due to not much has been explicitly established, and so it doesn't really hit me as much as I thought it would. Eda planting the flower, could also be seen as a lot of things, I've seen a few took it as her "declaration of love" to Jun, although it might be, among other things, it just feels out of character for her. I see it more as her keeping her promise to him as well as atonement for leaving him and Remi behind. But again, it could really be any or all of these. They also seem to reunite in their young selves somehow? even though it's only explained that emotions and thoughts are the only thing that can travel through time, unless it is in the afterlife, it doesn't seem clear as it just cuts off which is why I'm disappointed as the culmination of their relationship growing being insinuated before this is even more insinuation. It's not a terrible sequence, but I am just more in awe than I am emotional.
Overall, It's still a journey, and though I've mostly mention the flaws, it's more coming from a place of wasted potential. The story is nothing grand and doesn't evolve beyond what it already is, but it'll still pull your heart strings regardless.
The game is short (7-10hrs) and the good thing out of this, is that things rarely slows down for a long time, it can go from 1 to 100 in the span of a chapter or even half of it. The bad thing out of it is that the game is very lore heavy. There are so much lore surrounding the whole place that you need to process in the short span of the game.
Character developments also plays a huge part in this game, however only Eda was somewhat "stated" to grow by the end of the story (despite her actions proving otherwise so...). Whereas Jun is still the same person throughout, obsessing over "honor" and his "clan" from the beginning to the end, the only development he got is being infatuated with Eda as the story continues. Remi, as well stays the same for most of the story, she did soften up to Jun near the end and even becomes his close friend after a certain part, however their reconciliation just happens. She suddenly feels guilty towards Jun. It feels too fast, and it's just resolved after. Though, unlike Jun, I do like Remi and find her character tragic. Unfortunately, the character developments are not handled well.
The length also affects other character's relationship, as at times, things are developing too quick. Bones and Jun for example, although he did save Bone's life, he was the one that placed his life in danger in the first place, and somehow after writing him letters, they became close buddies? This is one of those they tried to explained as one of the "things" that just happens during the time skip (which happens a few times), so it feels out of nowhere.
The biggest emphasis of the problem are also on Jun and Eda's relationship (The biggest driving point of the game) which feels underdeveloped. You will get one or two major scene/s between them every chapter and the rest of it is mostly implications of their relationship developing, and the funny part is, a lot of it are actually from other characters, while other times it's merely little things like worrying about each other. Jun's feelings toward Eda however does come from a place of love, although not said explicitly, but he stated that meeting her is one of the best things that happened in his life. Though Eda does feel the same way, it is only implied, it is also apparent that she cares for Jun's wellbeing a lot. She tends to have a "tsun" attitude toward Jun whenever he's doing or saying something with romantic connotation, sometimes showing discomfort and even keeps dismissing his sincerity as "jokes" or not acknowledging it much, this never really change till the end, especially her choice at the end. It feels like they are trying to write a blooming love story while at the same time, trying their best not to make it apparent, and so the clear imbalance of what is said and implied makes it so that, in the short span of the game, not enough development between them is seen to be built. It's a very big reason why I think the game should've been longer. The ending between them didn't hit me as much as I thought it would.
MAJOR SPOILER WARNING
A good storytelling method for me, would be one that stood somewhere between "exposition" and "implication". If a story loves doing expositions, then I might as well be watching Dora the Explorer. If a story goes full implication, then nothing might as well happened. A narrative that does more implications (foreshadowing/underlying meaning) can be executed well if the payoffs are expositions (big twist/reveal), this game however pays off implications with more implications, which some may like, but not me personally. This brings me to the ending scene in which Eda planted the flowers for Jun. In this scene, it's supposed to be the culmination of their relationship throughout the game, however their relationship is still underdeveloped due to not much has been explicitly established, and so it doesn't really hit me as much as I thought it would. Eda planting the flower, could also be seen as a lot of things, I've seen a few took it as her "declaration of love" to Jun, although it might be, among other things, it just feels out of character for her. I see it more as her keeping her promise to him as well as atonement for leaving him and Remi behind. But again, it could really be any or all of these. They also seem to reunite in their young selves somehow? even though it's only explained that emotions and thoughts are the only thing that can travel through time, unless it is in the afterlife, it doesn't seem clear as it just cuts off which is why I'm disappointed as the culmination of their relationship growing being insinuated before this is even more insinuation. It's not a terrible sequence, but I am just more in awe than I am emotional.
Overall, It's still a journey, and though I've mostly mention the flaws, it's more coming from a place of wasted potential. The story is nothing grand and doesn't evolve beyond what it already is, but it'll still pull your heart strings regardless.